The Pragati Scholars

We select Pragati scholars in the classes 8 to 12 based on the twin criteria of

Good Academic Performance Weak Financial background

We identify them both through personal visits to schools and announcements in public media. The children as well as the parents / guardian are rigorously interviewed to make sure that the beneficiaries are truly deserving and in a position to significantly benefit from Pragati's support.

Pragati scholars are generally among the top in their class. In addition, some of them do well in sports while others participate in music and dance. Like other children of their age, they too harbor ambitions to grow up and become doctors, engineers, economists, scientists, IAS officers, professors and chartered accountants.

They come from families managing on extremely meagre and often uncertain incomes averaging about Rs. 2000 (about US$ 30-40) per month. Generally, the fathers are street hawkers, casual laborers, technicians or low paid clerical workers and mothers are uneducated housewives. In some cases, the fathers have abandoned the family, leaving the mother with all the responsibilities. Some of these children have lost one or both parents and are being supported by relatives who themselves are in straitened circumstances.